My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday
“We are not just passing by each-other” This beautiful movie tells a marvelous tale of human relationships, bringing together themes of love, time, memory, and unavoidable separation. All this is set in very interesting spacetime dynamics, making it a unique romantic sci-fi story, in what initially seems like a normal world, but then ends up with significant twists. Before you go and watch the movie, I have to warn you. I had the pleasure to watch the movie with my lovely girlfriend during a nice, peaceful August Saturday night, that marked the ending of what I called “her birthday week”. She ended up crying throughout it and went through a box of tissues. She’s a beautiful soul, with a pure heart. I guess we have to watch a couple of fun/action...
Read More“Love, Rosie”: A short letter to the author
“I’ve learned that home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.” Dear Ms. Ahern, How are you doing? My name is Maxtron Moon and I had the pleasure of reading some of your works. Most recently, I found your book, “Love, Rosie” in a used book store here in Japan. I have to say that I was reading your book while commuting all over Tokyo, with people, especially women of all ages, giggling over the cute cover. On one side, the romantic embrace of the hug from the movie scene and on the back cover, the illustration of a heart, switching views depending on the page I was reading, caused so many cute laughs from my right and left sides. It was almost like they were saying, “Who’s this foreigner, looking all serious with his messy beard and suit, yet reading something looking...
Read MoreThe Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Picture taken by Y.S., my girlfriend, in a café in Tokyo “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite” Before I share my own opinions and feelings about the book, I will, in short, address the critical readers who have rated this book negatively. It is interesting to me how a lot of these low rating readers of the book seem to take an issue with the fanbase, rather than with the book itself. They claim that the book has formed a cult-like following. I frequently come across the same critique with Haruki Murakami’s writings. This might have a simple explanation. People who love these books and recommend them set high too high expectations for future readers, who therefore end up disappointed. If someone says that X has changed their life, don’t expect it to...
Read MoreHappy birthday, miss Sugar!
“Heaven is a place on Earth with you”, Lana Del Rey (“Video Games”) It has been almost a year now. We met in a lovely summer evening in Nishi-Funabashi station and walked down the road to a coffee house. After texting for about three weeks, I finally had the chance to meet the beauty queen, gorgeous, very well spoken and intelligent Japanese lady. Going up the escalator, I was getting a little nervous, but managed to push away insecurities. I just had to be myself and hoping that who I am, is enough. Her train, coming from the opposite direction of mine, had arrived a couple of minutes before mine and she was already waiting by the gates of the South Entrance. She noticed me pass and waved me over. She was stunning, her eyes shining...
Read MoreBond of brothers
“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”― Helen Keller It was an unusual foggy August morning for central Japan, as I made my way down to Inage Station. My thoughts were entangled and even my shadow appeared out of focus. “Stay calm. One step at a time.”, I told myself, but the idea of another goodbye came clumping over every other thought. S., was leaving Japan. The one guy who I knew I could rely on, the one person who was always there for me, for everyone. My bro. S. It was early April ’18, more than four years ago when we first met. We formed part of the respectful MEXT (a Japanese government financed scholarship) winners, together with a bunch of other students at Chiba University. Living in the same dormitory just a couple...
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